Gandalf, BTR, The Test
by BIGREDSMAUG
Summary: Gandalf, Before the Robes is set before the hobbit as a young wizard. Hopefully "The Test" will be the first of many short stories involving this great character.


Gandalf, Before the Robes, "The Test"

Late summer afternoon, a young Gandalf made his way toward the university's great hall to meet with the head of the order, Morlett, the White. Gandalf wore a green buttoned shirt with vines stitched around his sleeves, black pants which ended into high black boots. His dark hair was clean cut and today he decided to stop shaving and began growing a beard. He carried a short staff, slightly longer than a magical wand. He passed by high green hedges lining the outdoor walkway.

Radagast quickly rounded a corner hedge and stumbled into Gandalf. He grabbed Radagast's arm to stabilize himself and his friend.

"There you are!" Gandalf said.

"I, I've been," Radagast muttered with a strong smell of alcohol.

"Oh Radagast, you've been drinking too much again. We have a meeting with Morlett! No doubt he has another test for us. And you're in no shape to present yourself to the high wizard."

"I, I'll be, alright. Just keep me upright a little," Radagast said.

Gandalf let out a sigh and led his friend into the great hall. "What happened to you last night?"

"I went to get some, get some more beer and got lost. Hehehehe, I was so drunk I, I thought I saw a small green child talking to Saruman," Radagast giggled.

"Indeed! Now compose yourself."

They entered the great hall and found a young Saruman already sitting in one of three chairs next to a large rectangular table. He turned and nodded to Gandalf, but gave Radagast a disdainful look. Gandalf led Radagast to his chair and he sat himself, between Radagast and Saruman, of course.

An unseen bell rang. Morlett, dressed in white robes stepped into the great hall from a doorway and sat opposite from the young apprentices. Morlett began, "Thank you for being prompt. And yes I do have a test for the three of you." He glanced at Radagast, frowned, and shook his head.

Morlett started, "We believe in what we want to believe. Beyond the west river is the old abandoned tower. You know the one, with the blue roof and the slight lean to the south. Anyway, there is a moon sword at the top level. Your test is simple, retrieve the sword and bring it back."

Saruman smiled with a gleam in his eye. Gandalf looked puzzled. And Radagast fell asleep.

Saruman asked, "Your eminence, if I may. What kind of power does this sword have?"

Morlett answered, "Power? I suppose it has the power to slay, it is a sword. Oh, of course there are conditions."

"Conditions?" Gandalf surmised there was more to this test.

"Oh yes," Morlett said. "For starters, no staffs. Leave them in your dorms."

Saruman's mouth dropped. Gandalf's eyebrow rose. And Radagast snored.

Morlett continued, "Cross the west river, reach the tower and when the full moon descends and dances on the tree tops, open the door. Climb its spiral staircase and find the top chamber. Then simply pick up the sword and return it here. We believe what we want to believe."

Gandalf asked, "When do we begin?"

Morlett said, "Now!"

Both Gandalf and Saruman leaped from their chairs and ran from the great hall with youthful abandon, leaving Radagast to his sleep. Morlett, the White stood up and calmly walked from the hall.

Gandalf made his way to his dorm and threw his short staff onto his bed. He grabbed his cloak from the closet and ran toward the stables. He heard galloping then saw Saruman ridding a black horse from the stables west. Gandalf hurried into the stables to grab his own brown horse, it was always eager to leave the stables.

He found his horse in a deep sleep standing up. Its loud snores sounded uncanny. He picked up his bridle and strapped it onto the snoring horse. "Blast, is sleeping a disease today!" He yanked on the reins. "Come on infernal beast!" The horse bent its legs and down it went. It then rolled over into its hay bed. "It never did that before."

Gandalf wondered if Saruman had anything to do with this, but dismissed the thought. He did not believe Saruman had prepared such a spell, or had enough time to cast it. He started sprinting west toward the river.

Saruman reached the river an hour after sunset. The full moon reflected a column of light off the river's surface. He dismounted his horse and tied him to a nearby tree. A boat moved upstream of its own accord and beached itself in front of Saruman.

He climbed into the boat and used a paddle to push off into the river. He paddled for a bit and became annoyed with the labor. Saruman threw the paddle into the water and produced his short staff. With an incantation he pointed the staff to the far shore and the boat increased speed. After a short while the boat veered off course and moved downstream.

Anger flashed across Saruman's face as he attempted to regain control. The boat tipped over and dumped Saruman into the river and moved away. Saruman swam the rest of the way and walked out of the river to the opposite bank.

Winded and tired, Gandalf finally made it to the river. He found Saruman's horse tied to a tree. He noticed a boat moving through the water toward him. He climbed into the boat and started paddling to the opposite shore.

Saruman found the leaning tower and grabbed the door knob. The door knob spun around, apparently broken. He pushed and banged on the door, but it did not move. He walked around the tower and found a broken window. Saruman used his staff to completely chisel the broken glass off the frame. He then went through the opening. Inside, he noticed the full moon's ray seemed to light up the interior through the many small windows and cracks in the structure. He started up the spiral staircase. He estimated the tower at five stories high.

He ran up, giddy at reaching the top. He ran for ten minutes, until he became suspicious. "I should have reached the top already," he said to himself. He looked up and down at the center of the tower and discovered he had not made any progress but a few steps. He realized there was magic at hand and remembered what Morlett said. "Bah! No staffs!"

Saruman threw his staff out of the broken window and started up again. This time he made full progress and reached the top. An open doorway led into a chamber with a statue in the center. He noticed the feminine statue with her hand firmly placed around the hilt of the moon sword. The sword pointed downward with the tip at the floor.

He grabbed the sword and attempted to free it from the statue.

Without moving the statue asked, "What do you believe in?"

Saruman replied, "Power! I believe in power. Now let go of my sword!"

Gandalf reached the tower's door and waited. "I wonder what happened to Saruman," he said. He looked up and watched the moon descend to the distant tree tops. In the distance, he thought he saw fireworks explode just beneath the moon. He looked to the east and saw the blackness of night rust away by the deep blue of a new day.

"Must be time," he grabbed the door knob and turned it. The door opened up with no resistance. He found the spiral staircase and climbed up. It led into the chamber with the statue in the middle. He moved to it and discovered the moon sword in its hand.

Without moving the statue asked, "What do you believe in?"

Gandalf stood there for a moment and wondered if it was a riddle of some sort. He suddenly remembered Morlett saying something about belief. That's it, Gandalf said, "We believe in what we want to believe."

The statue's hand released the moon sword and Gandalf took it before it fell to the floor. Gandalf smiled and examined the sword. The day grew and lightened the navy blue sky. He then took it with him and descended the stairs.

Saruman came out of his hiding spot and cursed under his breath. He moved to a tiny window and waved a white handkerchief.

Gandalf exited the tower in good spirits and started toward the river.

A very short green goblin, stunted at birth, ran towards Gandalf. Gandalf turned to the patter of the goblin's feet and was shocked when the goblin tossed something at him. With his free hand, Gandalf caught it and watched the goblin disappear through some foliage. He looked at the wet and clammy thing. "Horse flesh?" Blood dripped from his hand.

He soon felt the thump of something much bigger running at him. It emerged from the dark, a troll. Gandalf dropped the flesh and ran. He made his way to the river. The troll was too enraged and bypassed the flesh, and chased the young wizard.

Gandalf decided to keep running along the shoreline as the troll would have overtaken him if he used the boat. "Wish I had my staff!" he yelled as he ran for his life. Gandalf tripped on a large rock and tumbled over. He quickly rolled to his back and lifted the moon sword to impale the troll.

The troll ran toward Gandalf with murder in its eyes. Golden sun rays of the morning peeked over the horizon and hit the troll. It started to turn into stone as it struggled to reach for Gandalf. It stopped frozen with a large hand outstretched at Gandalf.

Gandalf's mouth dropped with eyes wide open in amazement. Just for good measure he poked the stoned troll with the moon sword with a clink. Relieved, he pushed himself up and said, "So, sunlight turns you into stone, I shall never forget this."

In the great hall, Morlett accepted the sword from Gandalf in the presence of Saruman. "Well done Gandalf! You must have followed my directions perfectly." Saruman fumed. Gandalf smiled. No one knew where Radagast was. Morlett handed Gandalf a light stone and said, "May this provide light in very dark places."

Later, Gandalf reflected on the test and wondered if Saruman was somehow involved with the goblin and the troll. He remembered Radagast's reference to a small green child speaking to Saruman the night before. He dismissed the thought. Saruman is my friend he would never betray me, he believed.


End file.
